This is part three of a 4 part mini-course on how to build your self confidence.  To make sure you recieve each part as it’s published use the subscribe box on the left to have them sent directly to your inbox.

Now that you’ve had a chance to think about self-belief and body language, it’s time to take a look at your wardrobe. Although dress sense is very much a personal thing, the clothes you wear can say a lot about your personality. If you look good, you’re more likely to feel good and you will naturally exude more confidence.

Dressing to impress doesn’t necessarily mean breaking the bank with shopping sprees to expensive boutiques and designer shops. As the very appropriate proverb goes, “cut your coat according to your cloth”. In other words, shop according to your budget. Having said that, some items of clothing are worth investing more money in and, depending on your line of work, you may wish to splash out a bit more for key pieces that will boost your confidence. For example, a tailored suit can be a fantastic investment. Whilst you might be lucky and find an off-the-peg suit that just happens to flatter your particular frame and figure, a tailor-made suit will give you that extra confidence boost when you really need it.

The art to dressing with confidence is to find styles and colours that really suit you. If pea green is your favourite colour but you look like a bowl of soup when you wear it, then stop adding it to your wardrobe. Whilst no one wants to hide their personality away under bland clothing, there’s a lot to be said for dressing for the occasion and a few classic items in your wardrobe will ensure that you have outfits at your fingertips whenever you need to look the part. An ill-fitting or inappropriate item of clothing will distract you and will also draw other’s people’s attention to areas of your body that might not be entirely confident with. If you spend a meeting or a first date tugging at a shirt that’s just a little bit too tight around the midriff, your confidence levels will plummet and you won’t be showing yourself off at your optimum. 

If you’re turning over a new leaf and ditching the contents of your wardrobe to start from scratch then take a friend with you when you go shopping. It’s often a good idea to get a second opinion – just make sure it’s an honest opinion. Whilst shop assistants can be very helpful, they’re often busy and it’s in their best interests for you to buy the clothes. A friend can also dash about to find different sizes and they’ll probably pick out things that you’d never have considered trying if you were shopping alone. This can be a great way to broaden your clothing horizons and discover new styles.

If you can give yourself a confidence boost by dressing in clothes that suit your body shape and personality but are also comfortable and stylish, then you’ll be off to a good start every day and this should have a positive impact on your work and other areas of your life.

Don’t miss part four: Learning from your mistakes

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